WWF-Canada's new national freshwater threats assessment (FTA) found the St. John - St. Croix watershed to experience a "high" level of threats, a score that is in line with most of the other watersheds in the developed areas of the country.

Whenever I meet a Hummer, tension rises in my chest, unkind thoughts develop in my head and my hands tighten and tremble, as if they want to signal something. I've long wondered why that happens, and I think I've finally figured it out. It has something to do with a song, economics and the courteous way to walk your dog.

Exploration is a necessary part of the mining cycle but it is not benign. Lots of people talk about the potential for mining the Ring of Fire in northern Ontario but how many people have an idea of the environmental footprint of ongoing exploration today?

Canadians no longer need to make the false choice between the environment and the economy. On Monday in Vancouver, Justin Trudeau unveiled a detailed plan for real change that will create jobs, grow the economy and protect the environment.

You wouldn't believe the looks of disbelief that we get. When my dive buddy Chris and I decide to spend a morning in Humber Bay, people are apt to ask whether we're serious about swimming in that part of Lake Ontario. One person questioned our sanity.

People are more aware of their environmental impact and conscientious about their meals. The question "what's for dinner?" no longer suffices. Local foodies also want to know where that dinner came from, how it was grown and who did the growing. Here are a few reasons why buying local matters.

Ontario and the states of Ohio and Michigan have reached an agreement to reduce the amount of phosphorous entering the western basin of Lake Erie by 40 per cent. Phosphorous is a key nutrient in water, but when present at high concentrations can lead to harmful algal blooms which can impact water quality, ecosystem health, fisheries, tourism and property values.

When climate scientists refer to "tipping points" it is usually bad news -- a moment beyond which elevated levels of greenhouse gas emissions will result in extreme weather and catastrophic damage to life upon this planet. Pope Francis' encyclical on the environment may be seen as another "tipping point" -- towards ensuring that communities of faith take up the moral challenge to preserve and protect creation.

The beluga is primarily known as an Arctic species, where it spends most of its time among the sea ice. As with many Arctic sea ice dependent species, beluga whales are affected by the loss of sea ice caused by climate change. They are being forced to adapt to the changing ecological system.

June 8 is World Oceans Day. In Canada, it's a time to celebrate the rich marine life in three great oceans off the longest coastline of any nation -- trillions of plankton, billions of fish, millions of seabirds, thousands of whales and myriad other creatures great and small. Yet, we have little to celebrate when it comes to looking after this natural legacy

So when we discuss our "security" over the next few months, let's not forget that it really doesn't matter how much the RCMP can find out about me at the push of a button, or how mad our foreign policy makes a regional band of over-armed zealots, if the natural security underwriting all of our health and wealth is left unguarded.

Just as human activity is harming the diversity of visible life, it's also diminishing microbial diversity. As researchers learn more about the profound ways good microbes keep people healthy, they're also seeing how our urbanized, indoor lifestyles have transformed our microbiomes, increasing the risk of disease.

The lifecycle of chemical cleaning products returns back to our surface water, posing environmental and ecological risks. On World Environment Day (June 5), instead of pouring harsh chemicals down our drains, alternative resources might be a solution

Every few years there's a revolution in children's food and the way it's presented. The most current trend is pouched food and from what I can tell, its popularity is only increasing. They are convenient and clean with no spoon necessarily required. But are they necessarily the best choice for your family?

In Montefortino, a gloriously beautiful mountain village in Central Italy, Alice Alessandrini started a mountain food label in 2012. Her pasta making business Regina dei Sibillini produces wheat in the foothills and also at 1000 meters altitude in the Monti Sibillini National Park.

One of the first greens to pop up in the spring are wild leeks. Leeks have a milder, sweeter taste than onion and a much prettier presentation. Foraging for food is a hipster renewal of ancient skills and I like the reinforcement of the idea that food comes from the earth, not the grocer.

Last week, I attended ECO Fashion Week in Vancouver and noticed how so many designers are thriving and creating beautiful clothes. I was lucky enough to speak with Amrita Sondhi, owner of Movementglobal. Amrita has been at the forefront of ECO fashion for a number of years.

On Tuesday April 21st, Joe Oliver presented his first budget as Finance Minister. Its 518 pages have been universally described in less than flattering terms. It is really the Conservative platform dressed up as a budget -- long on promises, short on funding. It's been obvious for years that climate change is not a priority for this government, but to produce a 518 page document that is the basis for the Conservatives' next election platform and not mention the existential threat of the century is truly appalling.

My father, Robert Hunter, had coined the term "mind bomb" as an expression that our greatest tool for revolution was our own consciousness. He believed that mass media (early broadcast media at the time) could help spark that consciousness shift and a societal shift by changing the story of our times. The reality is the tides are turning. Despite the stories of impossibility in the fight against climate change, there are some new stories being written of possibility. It will still take many more of us -- millions and billions of us -- to continue to share these news stories and to create the "mind bomb" moments.

Earth Day is an important date on the calendar that puts the spotlight back on the planet. However, as we all grow more interconnected around the world with a greater ability to have an impact -- both positive and negative -- it's equally important to recognize that the principles of Earth Day can't be ignored the other 364 days of the year.

Periods of instability that punctuate oil price history, highlight the importance of energy sector reform, which can be made all the more effective if paired with climate change considerations. To avoid climate change pitfalls created by falling oil prices it is necessary to approach environmental reform in new and innovative ways.

The global atmosphere is being loaded with the sum of all nations' activities. And while Canada's air quality is better than many places, half of us live in areas where we are exposed to unsafe levels of air pollution. We can and should do more to curb pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

As the provinces' experience with carbon pricing proves, we don't need to choose between our environment and our economy. In fact, they go together. Indeed, Canada must be able to take advantage of the billions of dollars in investment that will be made in green technologies. Justin Trudeau is already doing the important work that needs to be done.

The Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change is throwing the net wider and wider in its ever-growing attempts to assure that someone pays for contaminated sites, whether innocent or not. And it is having considerable success.